A Creative Whim
by TheBoglies
Summary: A story about Jess, Golly's daughter.
1. Part 1

**A Creative Whim**

(**1**)

For a young lass in her twenties, bravery, courage, and willingness to take on learning about the new world, or "toughing it out" was questionably frustrating for the girl. Even though she was bright, inquisitive, and brilliant with learning school subjects, she was now seeking advice of the unknown, or relationships, as her quest brought her to her father's door once again. This time without her mother, as it was just she, coming home from university after spring term was close to ending and not wanting to go home.

Everything Mum told her about Da was difficultly hard to believe. Her mother kept 'comparing' and 'contrasting' them, explaining why her father wasn't easy to be with.

_All her daughter asked was, 'What's he like, Mum?' _

_And she'd go, 'Yer Da is against city folk, city living and breathing, and city politics—yanno, fast paced life.' _Everything Mum loved!_ 'He only gives a hoot about the highland wild. He favors the quiet country, easy going and far from hectic life. He'd much rather run around with a silly hunters rifle, shooting innocent animals then seeing them in a zoo.' _Everything Mum hated!

_She continued to ask her mum questions, 'Why didn't Da stay with you?'_

_Her mother glanced at her daughter's face, as her stare when blank as a white sheet. 'Jess, go find something to do. Yer Da and I just never got married, end of story.'_

She dragged her self up off of her feet and pouted slightly as she walked out of the room. Her mother watched her but instead of explaining to her more about why things didn't work out with her and her Da. She just stood there, before going back to her cooking of supper.

But Jess learned young as her quick wit allowed her to understand that Mum and Da, were never married because their relationship was very short lived. Mostly since they were completely opposite of each other, even though opposites attract, Mum was oil and Da was water. Which concluded that they just didn't mix well together. But they must have loved each other in their own way, or they wouldn't have ever created her. They both care about her deeply, and want her to have the best that life has to offer. _She still wanted to know her father. _And when they visited Glenbogle years ago, she didn't exactly get to know him-he just broke it to her that he's her Da. _Oh come on, she was being a brat, a spoiled little brat, and didn't think of anyone but herself. _However, times have changed, she's not in her teens, and she's now twenty-three, and starting to think less of her self, well, sort of. The hard and kind of sad part was Da never left Glenbogle to visit her in Glasgow, even when she wasn't living with Mum and she had started university.

He'd just phone her once a month asking about _'how she was, how's her mother and wondering how school was going for her—when does term end?'_…_Da and daughter chit chat_…she'd just say, _' I'm peachy, Da. How's life in the wild woods?' _The conversation got to be monotonous because that was all they had to talk about when he'd ring her. She yearned to be 'Da's Girl' especially, since she was only considered a 'Mum's girl' for most of her dear life. _C'est la vie_.

Now, she was determined to spend quality time with the dear ol' man. Well, on her way home from university. She'll inquire about staying with him for a short while. Maybe find work in the town and make him as happy, proud and thrilled to have her there. Okay, so thrilled isn't the world's best word for describing his stoic personality she met only over the phone. Anyway, she would iron his shirts, press his trousers, make him a cuppa every day, and just go with it…the way she knows best-try to be better than the last time he saw her, be an innocent flower that he should envision her to be. She was looking at life through rose-colored glasses and in a dream world.

Jess crept up to the door of the newly built croft and tapped the door with her hand, before latching the door open with her other. Her backpack was on her shoulders as she decided to let herself in. Her feet took her down the hall as she called out, _"Da? Hello, Da?"_

Silence. Quiet. No human movements. _'No hello Jess! I'm happy to see you.'_ She knew Da didn't have an attack dog. _Thank goodness, or it would frighten me._

"Hmm, no one home." Then the corners of her mouth danced into a smile as she could use a warm bath, clean clothing, and undergarments. _Da, wouldn't mind, if I decided to freshin' up a bit. _Her feet broke out into a quick sprint as she waltzed up the stairs to the bathroom.

The weather was nice for change, not too many mozzies swarming over head and nipping at uncovered human body parts like faces, ears, hands and forearms. He was taking photographs with his father's old camera. _Yes, believe it or not the Laird of Glenbogle at that time, Hector MacDonald, loved to take snapshots of the land._ His oldest son was following in his footsteps. Hector would spend an evening with his sons sitting in the study glancing at this old camera and going through photos of mountains, trees, people standing on the acres with smiling faces, '_You want to preserve the land, the best way a man knows how…'_

_The older son would just interrupt him and say, ' By hunting?' _

_Then younger son would pipe up with the opposite to hunting, 'By keeping animals safe?'_

_Hector would look down at his young sons and shake his head 'no', 'By taking photographs.'_

_Every Sunday morning after church they would do their ritual, Hector, while wearing his 'creative picture taking cap', would take his sons out for a hike in the forests of the 40,000 acre homestead. He'd have the camera around his neck and give each boy one try to take a photograph. Of course, the youngest brother would want to photograph bugs. Which would just make the oldest brother roll his eyes and want something more 'nature-like' to take a photo of, like an old growth evergreen. Hector, the proud father to have 'snapshot' followers in his mist, after their photo taking journey, would smile and say, 'Now, come along lads, we're ready to develop them.'_

_They'd journey back to the estate and Hector would go straight to his darkroom. He'd pour out the developing chemicals, put the film in bins and continue to do his work. The boys weren't allowed in his darkroom. His darling wife knew to keep them away. He checks over the prints and then with a grin of satisfaction, he would pin up the photos to dry on a clothesline that went across the small room. They'd wait a day and then he'd unveil the boy's photos and put them in an album. The boys would ask, ' Can we take more photos, father? Can we?' He'd respond, 'Next Sunday, is a new day, a new photo taking day, we wait until then.' _

The older son missed his father so dearly. He inherited the camera as his brother inherited his father's 'creative photo taking' cap. __They were the Lairds of Glenbogle, Jamie and Archie, as they equally shared the powers of the estate. It was becoming dusk, as he was trailing down the land, staring at the landscape, captivating beauty and majestic undertones, while doing what he father loved best, aside from playing golf and running around with Useless, Monty and Rummel, taking photographs. His muse loved the quiet time, the peaceful sounds of nature was best music when he was out to capture stills with the old black and white camera. It eased his soul, as he imagined it did the same for his late father, opening both their hearts as he used the button to take the picture and the reel to forward the film to the next available exposure. As he was a snap shot away from taking his next photo, as his raven eyes caught something in the instance, not far from Golly's croft.

It wasn't his heritage his eyes caught sight of, just an epiphany of how the land was meant for generations to come. He assumed that his brother and his new wife would be the ones to carry on the MacDonald name and produce another heir to the Lairdship. Archie and Lexie, his pretty brunette sister in law, were married in the Scottish Hillside months ago. It was a private, unexpected, and a surprise of a ceremony, a real last minute request both made by the newlyweds. They had problems through out their courtship, as his brother kept getting mixed up with other ladies who fancied him, Archie didn't want other women, as he just wanted Lexie. Jamie just tried to stay out of it, as he wasn't interested in marriage yet as refused to date the women that were falling over his brother, even though his mother kept suggesting it.

However, when trouble happened in the younger brother's love life, as it always did all the time while growing up together, he looked to Jamie for the advice and the help. Jamie just scratched his head when Archie finally confessed that he had to find his runaway bride and marry her. Lexie became the runaway bride because she was upset at Jamie and Archie for allowing Katrina, a teacher, young blonde, to be rehired for the position in Glenbogle Primary School. What Lexie didn't know was Katrina turned the position down at last minute because she didn't want to be the teacher, as she wanted to be with Archie more and knew it wasn't possible. Archie told her she was correct as Jamie witnessed the whole event. They drove back to the estate and Duncan came running out, waving his arms to get their attention, before telling them that Lexie saw Archie with Katrina in town, saw him hug her, and decided she was going to move on. Both brothers were equally confused, wondering where would she go on foot.

As Jamie just reassured Archie, _' If you love her, you marry her.'_

_'She ran away, Jamie. How can I marry her? We've been planning a wedding for weeks and she can't seem to understand that I love only her, not Justine, not Katrina, but only her.'_

_'You marry her when we find her, then, aye?'_

_'Leave that to me.' The Head Ranger, Duncan, spoke up as he interrupted Archie's desperate plea to his brother for help to track down Lexie. Duncan, the good ol' guy had quickly devised his own plan when Lexie was trying to run free. Both brothers looked at him oddly at first. Duncan showed them a transmitter. Off they went, but before doing so, Archie had Jamie call the minister on a cell phone as they were driving along the road with Duncan directing where the beeping was strongly coming from. They also called their mother and Golly as they told them both what was going on. Archie was finally going to follow through with his plan to marry Lexie by suggesting eloping in the hills._

Jamie was happy his brother found the right woman to settle himself down. He also wondered what else the world had in store for them. If Archie and Lexie created a family and their own life, would he be left to do the Laird duties on his own? Would he marry at some point? Take on a wife, someone with strong breeding hips, and an easy spirited nature lover as much as him? The corners of his mouth went upwards at the thought of getting married and having a family too-he didn't warm up to the idea until two weeks ago when he watched _his brother and wife fight about sheepy wallpaper in a spare bedroom of the ancient house. Archie wanted to create a nursery and Lexie thought he had gone mad. Jamie laughed at the whole ordeal as he helped his brother redecorate the room, even though he wasn't supposed to because of a bet Archie had placed with Lexie. They bet dinner that Archie couldn't redo the room by himself. He told her she was on. If he lost, he'd be taking her out and if she lost, well, he'd still be taking her out to dinner anyway. Jamie stood there thinking, 'Uh oh. Your goose has been cooked dear brother.' Archie decided to 'hire' Jamie on as help but informed him not to tell his wife. Duncan even joined in on the redecorating fun, as Archie's team of one was a secret team of three, which won him the bet. Even though Lexie found out that Duncan and Jamie had helped him…she still appreciated the kindness, even if she still thought Archie had lost his marbles. The pair went on and on about children and how she wasn't ready to be a mother. Archie told her the room would wait for them both, when they were ready. _

Jamie brought the scan hole of the camera to his eyes, placed a finger on the button…he was crouched down behind a rock quietly as his lens was pointing at mother deer at her young fawn. She was magnificent, standing there quietly staring back at Jamie as her fawn was chewing on long green grass and other vegetation with a backdrop of evergreens and rocks in the perfect picture. He was perfectly still, as he didn't want to frighten his photo subjects away as he clicked the photo and lowered the camera down as it hung from his neck on a strap. He got up on all fours slowly. He kept his eyes on the doe and fawn, which were eating and didn't move a muscle. He inched backwards on his hands and knees. When the coast was clear, and he felt wasn't going to disturb the wild pair, he wandered away, down a slope, towards Golly's.

He understood gaming, hunting animals, and fishing trout but he agreed with his brother about opening up the Wild life Center months upon months ago. They both wanted to restore wolves to their natural habitat. They felt better knowing that most of the wildlife on the lands couldn't be touched unless authorized by the MacDonald brothers. But Golly, like a father figure to both boys, had a hard time adjusting to the new idea, mostly because he felt it went against what their father would have wanted. They decided the estate was in their hands now and as their father loved the nature, so the place had to be opened to public for camping, outward bound for inner city teens, and a sporting club for children who wanted to hike, bike, play sports, go away for weeks at a time. This was the MacDonald's way of giving back to the community. Golly didn't understand why the place had to be 'modernized' but he was the Ghillie, and he just went along with their plans. After all it got him a new home, one that Jamie was now looking at with its lights on.

He strolled up to the first steps and skipped up them before tapping the unlocked door. He didn't hesitate about going inside, as he entered and wandered down the hall. His head peeked into the kitchen and then he strolled into the lounge, as he stifled a laugh, _what was Golly doing with girly things hanging on his drying rack?_ His hand lifted the red lacy bra, as he simpered some more. _If Golly had a new lady friend, other than his mother, then he was in serious deep doo doo. And if his brother knew about this, then he would have said something to him about it. _His fingers pulled down a pair of light blue underwear. The clothing was still wet, as if it has been washed. He could smell the faint soap of roses as the scent wafted up into his nose. The scene gave him a good laugh, but the next scene made him at loss for words.

"_Da?_" Jess stood there with a blue towel around her chest and as her hair was wrapped into a towel turban. "You're not…"

"Him." Jamie replied, as he turned around to glance at her. _"Hello Jess."_

Jess clutched the towel tighter around her body. She felt uncomfortable to be standing partially naked in front of Jamie MacDonald. He was one of Da's 'bosses' as horror glazed her ocean eyes, he was holding onto a pair of her underwear. He chuckled lightly, noting she was shifting on her feet. "I believe all of this is yours?"

"Yes, it is." She snatched the pair of looms from his hands. Jamie had a blissful smile on his face. He expressed kindness and then some concern.

"Shouldn't you be away at university?"

"Um, lemme get dressed." She changed the subject before turning on the balls of her feet and hopping up the stairs, two by two, before running into the bathroom and shutting the door. Being witty, smart and beautiful was one thing, but being embarrassed because a guy she had taken a liking to the last time she was here, was now interested in talking to her! Then it hit her, as she left her backpack and clothing on the couch in the living room. "Oh fiddle."

She opened the bathroom door and hoped back down the steps, snatched her backpack with her hands off of the couch, as the pack had been sitting beside Jamie. Her gaze met his as she grinned, before adding, "I forgot my clothes." She jaunted out of the room and back to the bathroom before he could comment on her reappearance.

About fifteen minutes later, she braved the lounge again. Jamie was sitting down looking at a textbook, and it was one about Economics. _It was her textbook from school._ She had left it on the couch after hanging her 'laundry.' "Hi."

"Hello." Jamie shut the book and placed it on the table before him before standing up to greet her again. This time she was dressed in a striped shirt, of reds, oranges and pinks and a pair of jeans. He humored her, "Good to see you're not wearing a towel."

"Yea, um, want a cuppa?" She wandered into the kitchen before placing a kettle on the range.

"Actually, I can't stay, as I was just wondering if your father was home."

"I haven't seen him." _'yet,' _Her mind added with her response.

"No? I'm sure Golly will be happy to see you." He nodded purposefully.

"Jamie?"

"Yea?"

"I'm not in school anymore as I am done with it." She fibbed, as she had no intention of going back to university for another term. Not after everything she had just been through. Jamie peered at her, not questioning her falsehood, and taking it as truth.

"I see. I was taking a gander at your textbook over there." He gestured to the book on the table.

"Oh, right."

"Good, well, tell Golly, we have a few things to discuss. I'm sure he's still with the wolves. Good seeing you Jess." Jamie nodded his head and strolled towards the entrance to the croft. Jess watched him out of the window, before concluding to her self, "Nice to see you too."


	2. Part 2

( **2 **)

Jamie made way back to the estate as he was nearing the office, he noticed the light on. He decided he had to investigate, well, one could just assume a burgular was in there trying to steal money from the safe. But no, it was Archie in a sea of figures, as in negative figures, invoices and anger at the mess before him. Jamie waited a moment before entering the office as he was definetly entering at his own risk.

"Arch?" He replied, trying to distract his brother by breaking into his thoughts of doom.

"What is it, Jam?" He didn't even look up at his brother, just stared at the books, like his nose was to the grind stone.

"It's nighttime. Time to stop what you're doing and call it a night? Don't you think?" He asked in a reserved manner.

"We're 5,000 pounds short and you want me to call it a night? I'm trying to search for the mistake that says we're not short this money!"

"We can't be short that much." Jamie stated sharply as Archie looked up at him, while tossing his pen aside like he was going to give up.

"You tell me." As he stretched his arms and folded them across his chest while he sat in the old oak desk chair.

"Look, we'll find it. Let's just close up shop. Where's Lex anyway? Isn't she supposed to be keeping you from doing work?" He joked, hoping to make his brother smile, but it didn't work.

"She's off to town visiting a friend."

"Well, then, you need friends, ones who will keep your nose out of the books all day long. You've been at this since morning." Jamie stated firmly, trying to make a point.

"You've been blowing off work all day long, so what else is new?" Archie counteracted by trying to make another point that was just as important.

"Arch, you're cut out as Laird. I am not. Simply we're just sharing the duties until..."

"One of us decides to leave?" Archie tilted his head, while finishing Jamie's thought.

"I s'pose so. I'm not leaving any time soon and I don't believe Jess will be." Jamie's mouth turned upwards into a grin that Archie caught on as nothing but trouble. Archie then acknowledged 'Jess' in his bold statement.

"Jess?" A voice added to the conversation between the brothers as they both turned to see Duncan looming about in the doorway.

"Yes, Golly's daughter is here. You remember her, right, Dunc?" Jamie asked, knowing all about Duncan lusting after Jess when she was at Glenbogle years ago and being told that she was off limits since she is a relation to him!

"Of course, I do." Duncan gave a nod of his head.

"Duncan, shouldn't you be-?" Archie was cut off from asking what Duncan should have been doing, other than standing in the office chatting to both brothers.

"Actually, I came to put in a request for some time off." Duncan replied as his face dropped a bit.

"Time off?" Archie asked curiously.

"Yea, well, it's Marie-Helene." He looked at Archie for a flicker of rememberance and he didn't see one so he continued, "My French pen pal?"

"Yes, I remember her. I remember that whole week. How could I forget since you were Laird and I was the Head Ranger?"

Jamie laughed as he wasn't there to witness the whole event but he did hear all about it from their mother, Molly. Jamie was away in Glasgow during that time for a year. He was studying for his teaching degree and also teaching night classes about photography.

"Anyway, Alan was in a automobile accident and he's, well, dead." Duncan gulped before he replied. "She wants me to visit, Bosses, she needs me." He handed a Air Mail letter to Jamie for Archie to see. Archie looked at the envelope closely before asking, "When were you supposed to visit her?"

"Well, I kinda implied leaving tomorrow." Duncan's tone grew serious. "I should be there for his funeral. I wouldn't have asked this of you so soon, but it's important I be there."

"I see." Archie's brows arched and then his eyes wandered to Jamie's.

"Dunc, I think we could handle it without you for a few days." Jamie added it. "What do you think Arch?"

Archie's mouth went into a smile, as he felt good about granting Duncan's leave even if it was short notice, "Well, it's either you go to Paris or she comes here and I'm not playing Head Ranger again anytime soon. I assume you don't want the job as Laird." He joked.

Duncan beamed, "Thanks Bosses."

"You're welcome, send Marie-Helene our regards and sympathies." Archie approved.

Duncan turned to inquire about Jess to Jamie, _"Is she really here?"_

Jamie smiled again, "Yes, Dunc she is. I'll head up to the house with you and tell you about her."

Jamie and Duncan strolled out of the office leaving Archie with the books once again. Archie getting fed up with the workload, closed the big black accounting book and decided to close up shop too. As Jamie and Duncan were heading towards the estate, Jess was walking towards them.

"She's coming." Duncan nodded his head in her direction. Jamie just laughed again before hollering out, "Hello!"

"Hi, I wouldn't have asked this, but Da, has nothing in his cupboards and it makes me wonder how does than man survive?" She waltzed up to them with her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, dressed in a coat, jeans and boots. "Where is he anyway?"

"Golly's been a little busy down at Molly's shop. I'm sure he'll be back shortly." Jamie replied, "In the meantime, care to join us for a bite?" as he was extending the invite to Duncan as well.

"Sure. Duncan, nice to see you again." She smiled warmly as it made the rustic looking lad melt like butter.

"Nice to see you." He nodded, "Thanks for the invite, but me has packin' to do."

"Where are you off to?" Jess questioned as she was now striding next to Jamie and Duncan.

"Paris." He stated as if he was going somewhere very delightful.

"Bon Voyage. Au Revoir. Oui, Monsieur." She chanted at him as he looked at her baffled at what she had just said. "Duncan, I told you have a good trip, good bye, yes, Mister."

"Oh right. I knew that." He was clueless, but at least sincere about his lacking in understanding the language of love. Jamie simpered at the exchange before adding, "Let's get some food into ya, Jess."

The trio sat at the kicthen island, trying to eat a sandwich, as the sandwich making was around them-bread, cheese, meat, condiments, everything they needed. Jamie being sneaky, had also pulled out special occasion biscuits from the pantry. Lexie had hidden them way back in the far corner, so that he couldn't eat them as they were only for guests. He decided since Jess was a guest, that she's entitled to having them, so he brought them out. Duncan watched the interchange between the two, as he found it funny how much in common Jess and Jamie had personality wise, as they loved nature, both seemed to like being personable, and also had a hint of laziness. But Duncan would never say it to them directly, only that they seemed like two peas in a pod.

"So why aren't you at university?" Jamie asked slowly as Jess was chewing a bite of her sandwich. Duncan watched closely as the pair were starting to converse about _something they had in common_.

"Well," She paused, as she thought she had told him why she wasn't there back at her father's croft. "I told you, I'm done with school."

Jamie eyed her once again before choosing his response carefully, "It's April, Jess, term ends in May."

She felt cornered at first, almost like he didn't believe her that she was infact done with school, which was true, she wasn't. Duncan piped up as he was coming to her aide.

"I'm sure she's got her reasons for not being at university, right, Jess?" Duncan lifted a brow as he wasn't helping but putting her on spot. She gulped down her glass of milk, finished another bite and then as she felt heavy with the situation at hand and having two men staring at her for an answer...

"The truth is, I'm not going back, not right now anyway." She shrugged her shoulders and finished her sandwich. Jamie stared at her trying to figure out the next best approach, or a reponse to her statement as Duncan cut in again.

"Well, no harm done, right? Jamie did the same thing."

Jamie gave him an evil look, before trying to 'fix' the situation. He wasn't sure what her father would think if he explained why he left school and went back to it over a year ago. He had his reasons and all, but he wanted to keep peace and not make such a big deal out of it. It was too late, since Duncan opened his mouth.

"You went to university?" She asked with a look of shock.

"You seem surprised, why?" Jamie's eyes leveled with hers again.

"I don't know, I just assumed you being Laird and all, you wouldn't need an..."

"Education? You're mistaken, Jess, an education is a great tool to have and should never been taken for granted. I spent a few years at university in Glasgow studying education studies and I quit for a few years, but I went back for my degree over a year ago and I can teach now. I just haven't done the job 'hunt' yet for a classroom. So right now nature is my class."

She glanced over to him before concluding, "I went for education studies too, but I'm burnt out."

"Tough program, it happens, but you should go back _one day_." Jamie explained, while chewing a bite of his sandwich as well. "I taught photography classes at night while I went to school during the day. It was long, hard and pretty tough, but I enjoyed every penny of it, considering I'm an old man." He tossed in a pun and she laughed at him. Duncan sat there amazed as this was the second time she was laughing at Jamie. He had told her a few bad jokes earlier on their way into the house and she was still giggling and smiles. Duncan didn't get it, but he noticed something going on between the pair.

"You're not, your mighty lairdship." She stifled a giggle.

"Yes I am, fairhaired maiden. Right, Dunc?" Jamie gandered at him.

"Oh come on, I'm younger than you but not by much. You saying you're old, makes me look just as ancient." Duncan flattered.

"How old are you?" Jess cocked her head to the side at Jamie.

"37."

"Erm, I'm 23." She laughed, before smiling again, "And I feel old."

"You two are not." Duncan simpered, polished off his sandwich and then tipped his head. "I'm off to pack."

"Stay." Jess implored, trying to change his mind as she was hoping he'd continue to keep them company since they were enjoying it so much.

"Sorry, I have to pack as I'm heading out in the morning on the sleeper." Duncan nodded but threw his arms around Jess giving her a big brother/sisterly hug. "I'm happy to see yer here."

"Me too, Dunc." He wandered out of the kicthen and up the back stairs to his quarters. Jess sat there at the table as she was about to get up and help Jamie with the dishes, but he declined her help.

"I better do these on my own, so Lex doesn't have it in for me in the morning. Eat the biscuits and chat with me while I wash these?" He suggested, _hoping she'd stay and keep him company_.

"Sure, I s'pose." She grinned sheepishly at him. She gathered a biscuit from the package just as Jamie was about to do so and their hands brushed. "Sorry." She blushed and pulled hers away as he then smiled, trying to put her at ease as he nabbed a biscuit, took a prompt bite, tipped his head again in approval for the taste and went back to washing the plates and putting away the sandwich making mess. Golly walked into the kitchen as he looked at his daughter sitting there at the kitchen island.

"Jess?"

"Da?" She rose up from the table, walked past Jamie and threw her arms around her father to give him a huge hug.

"What are you doing here, lassie?" He released his daughter from his embrace to look at her.

"I'm done with university and I was going to head back to Mum's but I wanted to see you." She explained, as Jamie had turned from the sink after listening to her lie to her father. He now picked up on it as the tone of her voice changed slightly when she was trying to cover something up.

"Great. Let's get a move on. I'm sure Jamie has things to do and no time for looking after my daughter." Golly replied, as if Jamie was babysitting Jess. She didn't exactly like how her father was implying she needed looking after, but she kept her complaint to herself.

"No foul done, Gol, just thought I'd feed her." Jamie nodded again, as he finished washing the last dish and placed it in a dish strainer. The kitchen was almost immaculate, just Jess' milk glass and the biscuits were left out as he snatched them up.

"Thank-you, Jamie." Golly replied with approval.

"Um, one thing, Gol, I was out roaming the lands and I noticed one of the fences down over near the bird sanctuary." Jamie gestured to Golly's handy man work.

"No problem, I'll tend to it in the morn, if that'll be all right?" Golly assumed it was.

"Yea, no problem."

"Well, let's get a move on." Golly put an arm around his daughter about to cart her out of the room. She spoke up quickly in a mocking tone, "Night, your mighty lairdship."

"Night, fairhaired maiden."

_Golly watched the interchange and thought nothing of it. He just assumed that Jess was joking around with Jamie in a big brother/ sister manner like she would with Duncan. He had no idea that attraction was blooming between the two and if he found out that one fancied the other or their feelings were possibly mutual, well, he'd demand them to stop in a civil way. He'd lecture her on the whole principle of dating men and not boys her age. ___


	3. Part 3

( **3** )

About ten minutes after Golly and Jess left the kitchen, Lexie crept inside just as she caught Jamie single handedly with his hands in the cookie jar. Well, not exactly, as he was quickly trying to put the biscuits back into the pantry without being discovered by anyone coming in. He was bent over crooked and reaching far back, just as she tiptoed closer to him. She wanted to scold him for stealing the hidden biscuits and remind them they were for company only. She also thought of the best way to teach him a lesson, give him an awful fright, or well, humor herself.

"Boo!" She shouted out as he jumped, startled and hitting his head on the pantry shelf above where the biscuits went.

"Ouch! Wha?" He turned to glare at his sister in law, she was standing there with a huge "I told you so" smirk on her face.

"Ah heh, I thought you'd be stealing them biscuits from the pantry sooner or later!" She mocked him.

"The biscuits were for someone special, hence, special occasion biscuits had to be opened for a guest according to you." He chanted with a "You're wrong, Lex" smirk on his face back at her.

"Special? Who's special?" She tilted her head to the side, knowing her brother in law never thought of anyone 'special'.

_"Jess."_ He smiled like a love struck fool, one who had met one of cupid's arrows and was shot right in the arse with it.

"Jess?" She replied outspoken. "Since when you do fancy a woman?"

Her jealousy slightly colored her voice, at one point in time she had some feelings for dear ol' Jamie, but he didn't love her that way back. And when she fell madly in love with Archie, he saw it as relief, mostly because she'd never act on those old 'lust' feelings she had for him at one point in time since they were purely just destined to be brother and sister in law only. He never ever went for girls that loved his brother, as they had an unspoken pact, well, brother loyalty, _thou does not date each other's girlfriends, or the brotherly trust would be broken and_ Jamie lived by that rule all of his life.

"Look, I was being nice to her. Golly had no food in his croft and she was starving so I had her up for a bite. Duncan was here and it was totally harmless." Jamie covered up his love struck personality as he didn't exactly want to talk about his love life with his brother's meddlesome wife.

"Harmless-aye?" She scoffed at his now stoic and reserved manner.

"Yea, harmless." He then concluded, "And for your info, I've fancied a woman before."

"Oh, who?" She challenged.

"Katrina Finlay." He stated firmly as if he wasn't going to budge on his response. Lexie's eyes grew wide with astonishment.

"Katrina?" Her mouth dropped and then she remarked, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I don't date my brother's ex-girlfriends and I saw the trouble she caused between the two of you as you were trying to get married." Jamie answered boldly.

"Katrina? You wanted to date her?" Lexie's envy formed again, only Jamie put a stop to it.

"Yea, at one point I did. She's a teacher Lexie._ I fancy teacher types_." He nodded his head after rubbing the goose egg bump on the back of it from slamming his head into the pantry shelf.

Lexie busted out in laughter. Jamie's face grew serious before he gave her an devlish look.

"I'm---sor--ry." She laughed more.

"Eh, yea, right." He rolled his burnt wood eyes as she then got her laughter under control.

"Oh Jamie. I had no idea." Lexie shrugged.

"There's no need to get sentimental, as I wouldn't have ever told her I was interested in her anyway." He hid his true feelings once again. As Archie came bounding into the kitchen, happy to see his wife and yawing about how late it was and that he needed her.

"Lex, ready for bed?" He was trying to come to Jamie's rescue but he was a bit late. She didn't even have time to refuse and tell him she was talking to her brother in law about something important. Jamie waved her on. "Night, Lex and Arch."

"But-but, I was talking to---?" She was carted out of the kitchen and down the hall when Archie interrupted her.

"Yea, I know. He's not big on discussing his love life, as I figured you would have gotten the hint, Dear Abby." Archie replied low with a joke. Lexie was always playing 'Dear Abby,' an advice columnist in a newspaper, trying to discuss people's lives, worries, and woes, as this time it wasn't going to happen-she wouldn't be discussing any of it with his older quiet brother.

"Why's that?" She snipped, as she was a little annoyed at how her husband rudely interrupted her.

"Lex, Jamie doesn't like to talk about women or fancying them for that matter. He's always got something more important going on then getting married and having a family." Archie glanced at the hurt look on his wife's face. "What?"

"Arch, I think it's sad that he's not with someone, he's nearing 40, getting old, and I just think it's sad that's all. He decides not to date your old girlfriends, or a girl he actually fancies."

"Who said anything about my old girlfriends?" Archie's eyes zeroed in on her bewildered facial expression.

"He simply put it that he doesn't date anyone you've gone out with, even if he had fancied her for a long time."

"Katrina. This is about Katrina?" Archie added as he knew all about Jamie wanting to court her at one point, but never confessing to it. "He admitted to you about liking her?"

"Yea, don't look all impressed, Arch!" As they were walking up the stairs to their bedroom, just as he stopped them both in the hall.

"Lex, he's _never ever _admitted that fact to me, or anything about liking a girl who liked me, and I've known him for all my dear life." Archie then felt like his brotherly pride had been stepped on, or squashed like a bug. They entered their bedroom as they were getting changed for bed.

"Because he doesn't date your old girlfriends, he cares too much about you than to hurt you by getting involved with one of them! He felt he'd break trust between the both of you by doing so." She pulled off her shirt, shimmed out of her pants and swept her nightie over her head. As nightie straps fell onto her shoulders, the rest of the sheer fabric cascaded down her body and came to a halt at her knees. Archie loved watching his wife get ready for bed. At the same time, he was changing into his night clothes, Navy tee shirt and PJ bottoms, while yanking his socks off his feet as he climbed onto the fitted mattress after his darling wife had turned down the sheets and white comforter with wooden buttons.

"Lex, he'd _never once _told me he's ever liked a girlfriend _of mine_. _He's just always been Jamie giving me words on my relationships. It's always been great advice_."

"Oh? Like what, Mr. Laird?" She teased as she fell into bed beside him.

"He gave me support when you ran off just before we were to get married." Archie's face lit up, wondering what her reaction would be when she heard that bit of info.

"That's because he knows you care deeply for me." She grinned, as she cuddled her body to his. He snagged the covers up and over their shoulders as they were up to their necks in warmth, longing, and needing of each other.

"Anyway, Jess is back." Archie's lips brushed his wife's as he changed the subject.

"I know. Jamie fed her a bite in the kitchen and also used the special occasion biscuits." Lexie answered, as she went in for another kiss.

"Oh?" Archie's brow rose, breaking from the moment of osulation before adding, "He found those biscuits?"

Lexie hand thumped him in the chest before heaving a sigh, or in this case a very well 'You're blind as a bat, Arch' moan.

"What was that for, Mrs. Laird?" He glanced down at her as her arms were drapped across his chest.

"I believe he found Jess to be very special, if he had to dig out those well hidden biscuits." She sighed again, with a smile of contentment.

_Archie pondered for a moment, if what his dear wife was implying were true, his brother was looking for someone to settle with, and do what he had done: get married and maybe have a heir to pass the lairdship down like he assumed him and his wife would one day. Jamie was now feeling at ease to date someone since his brother was married off. Archie then felt slightly panicked, as if his revelation had stuck a cord in his woeful mind, because if Jamie wanted to settle himself down, Jess was young, very young, and probably no where near that step that his brother wanted to take with someone. _

__

Jess and her father wandered back to his croft as they walked side by side down the path way. Golly hadn't seen his daughter in three years and he made note she had changed a lot. He did make a point to call her, so often, but he couldn't leave the estate as he had too much work to do with the land upkeep. His mind went back to the time when she wasn't even born yet and he thought about Alison and everything they had been through together.

"_How's your Mum_?" He asked quietly as they strode together.

"She's great, considering her and Murray are still together." Jess didn't think fondly of her step-father, as she never did.

"How long are you planning on staying?" He spoke up, trying to keep the conversation with his daughter going.

"Just for a little while. I wanted to see you before I decided to see Mum again. Da, she doesn't approve of my boyfriend." She piped up as a moment of truth surfaced.

"Boyfriend?" He asked still with a quiet but steady tone of voice.

"Yea, but don't worry, Da." As they continued to walk towards the croft and he started to think there was more to the story, but didn't press her. His mind wandered to when he and Alison first got together...

_Golly was back in town after his father's funeral, his life was turned upside down. He drank too much, spent too much time 'wandering the countryside' and not enough time thinking about what he would want to do when he grew up. The dreay day fit his mood as he slugged down a lager sitting at the bar. He had been just offered his father's job by the laird of Glenbogle, Hector MacDonald. He didn't tell him if he's take it or not. He just wanted time to think about it as he was doing it over a beer. She walked in a woman he had known since school, well, who was a few years younger, but still recognized him. He spent summers working on building projects, like porches and ramps for her father. Just odd jobs here and there. She looked over his way, nodded to the bartender for a lager as well and then sat down beside him. _

_"Sight for very sore eyes." She replied as his head turned to look at her. _

_"Aye, maybe." He replied back, before turning to his beer once again._

_"Golly." She pried, before taking a sip of her beer too. "It's good you've come back here."_

_"Lass, that I am. Here." His brows lifted and then dropped as his fingers traced the rim and body of the beer glass. _

_"I'm sorry about your Da, Golly. Are you staying in town?"_

_"Al, I'm not sure. I was offered a job." He tipped his head to look at her. She was still beautiful, considering she didn't look a day older than 20, but she was actually in her 30's now. _

_"At the Glenbogle Estate." Alison added, as she knew all about it. "Word travels fast."_

_"Aye." He tipped his head to look at her once again. _

_"Are you going to take it? You'd be good at it, you know. I doubt Hector MacDonald would have offered it to you if he didn't believe you would be." Her eyes met his as he wasn't sure about how to take her compliment. _

_"I'm thinking about it, Al."_

_"Well, where are you staying then, while you're thinking about it? I know you just got back in town today for the funeral and I doubt you have appropriate logging?" She hinted at helping him out._

_"Look, it's kind of you to offer, but..." He started to turn her down but her face, angelic as it was, was hard to say no too. "Okay, lass."_

_"Good, I'll make it a point for my father to know you'll be staying at the house while you mull over working for the MacDonalds. I'm sure he'll come up with some odd jobs for you to do in the meantime. So it's settled then? Can I get you out of here?" _

_"Alison, I'm..." He paused, but then shrugged, nodded to the bartender that he was done with his lager and turned his body towards her while sitting on the bar stool. "delighted."_

_"Great, let's get a move on. Chop-chop. I have lots of things to catch you up on." She laughed, as she was about to pay for the beers, as Golly nodded his head 'no.' She was insistent and paid for them anyway and then they both left the pub. _

"Da," Jess glanced over to her father, as he was very quiet and pensive about something. They were now sitting in the lounge of his croft, Golly parked in an arm chair with a newspaper in his hand and Jess sitting on the sofa with an old photo album that she had packed with her for school.

"Yea, Jess?"

"If you had married Mum and it didn't work out and you fell for someone else, would you still divorce Mum?" She inquired oddly. Golly wasn't sure of where this question was coming from as he lowered the newspaper to look at her. She shifted her body to face him.

"Why do you question that?" He sensed Jess was on edge, for a short moment, before answering.

"Nothing, just a hypothetical question."

"I'm not one for giving hypothetical answers, now am I?" He asked wondering why she was asking such a thing. If he had married Alison, he would have stayed true to her, but something was making Jess ask such a pondering.

"No, I s'pose not." Jess sighed, "It's just I hate how Murray treats her and they have been married for so long that it's very tense to go home to it. When I brought my boyfriend home a week ago, she just felt too inclined to tell me what she really thought, then to just accept him."

"I see, lass, well, your mother made her decision and it's one she'll stand by." Golly knew Alison still quite well considering 23 years had passed since they were together. His mind wandered back to everything he had once shared with her...

_"Da, said it was fine for you to be here. Here's linens and a pillow for the couch. Honestly, I don't know how you managed to stay out in the wood so long." Alison handed the linens over to Golly as they both made his bed up. _

_"I manage." He was good at one or two word answers as it was something she liked very much from him._

_"Well, get used to this life again and how it is, and then tell me 'I manage.' Maybe you could kindly give me a few tips." Alison was one for change, but never once risked leaving Glenbogle. She knew there was an outside world, outside of the small town in the Scottish Highlands, and sometime she'd dream of it. City life, city people and city politics. The town poltics drove her crazy and at times she felt claustraphobic in the small village. She didn't comment on it though to Golly, just kept her dream to herself. She mostly didn't want to disappoint her father and just up and move away on him. _

_He laughed, before replying, "You sound burnt out, why?"_

_"It's nothing. I'll let you sleep. You need it." She nodded with a blooming smile. "Night, Golly."_

_"Night, Al."_

"Da?" Jess interrupted his thoughts again. "I'm going to hit the sack, okay?"

Golly sat up in his chair before looking at her, as his mind was zapped back into reality. He wondered if his daughter knew how much he cared about her and how he wanted to be there for her when she was growing up, but couldn't be. He would have given anything to have Alison stay in town, but instead his friendship with her father remained until the day he died. He still had the prized family rowboat stored away in the basement of the Glenbogle House. He'd have to show it to her and have her take it for a spin. "Aye, right. Night." She lowered to peck her father on the lips, gave him a big hug and then walked through the lounge, towards the stairs, climbing them one by one until she make way to the small bedroom.

__

Jess rolled, tossed, and turned on the small twin bed hours after telling her father she was going to turn in. She was still getting used to sleeping alone, since everything with Sean Cook had ended very badly because of her. They used to sleep together side by side every night after he left his wife. He was her lecturer, which she omited that fact when explaining to her father who her boyfriend was on their walk from the estate to his croft. Yes, the man was married with a young child, Lydia of age seven, and separated from his wife for sure, but he was getting soon divorced. _He was in his late 30's, close to Jamie's age_...she tossed again entangled in the blankets on the bed. Sean, everything about him was wonderful, and he wanted to take care of her...yet, having an affair on his wife, even if he was living apart from her with Jess, was a huge no-no as he could have lost his ten year if it had gotten out what he was doing with one of his prized students. But to Jess at the time they were getting together, you can't help who you fall in love with, yet she wasn't _in love _with Sean. She told him she had to move on and he did too. That his marriage and his life were coming unglued and she didn't want to be the one who helped him piece it back together or be at blame for pulling it apart, when she wasn't ready for that kind of committment-marriage or motherhood-she couldn't be Lydia's 'step-mother' _especially when she knew what it was like to have a step-parent and how hard it was because she wasn't keen about Murray being her step-father since day one, when she was just five years old_. She actually blamed him for keeping her Mum from getting back together with her Da. _Smooth move, Jess, frig up something good because you're claiming you're not ready_, _when you are, you just didn't want to tell him this truth about what it was like to grow up without your parents together. Sean, he knew nothing about growing up with out married parents as his had been together since the ice age, or so he joked on about._ She tossed in the sheets again on her right side and then left. _Da, seemed so distant tonight when I asked him a question about being married to Mum. Suppose he still loves her after 23 years? Of course he does as he wouldn't of asked me how she was doing_. Her being there, must just bring back old memories to his mind about how he began to court her Mum. Of course, she didn't know the story either, as her parents lips were sealed quite tightly. It just infurated her at how no one told her how they met. With her grandfather dead, she couldn't ask him about it. She flipped over onto her stomach and then with another toss and turn, she fell out of bed and onto her rump on the floor. "Oh fudgety!"

With that remark escaping from her lips, she decided to stand up, put on her trousers, slide her gown off and put her sweatshirt on over her tank-topped chest. She fixed her stick straight bed head and put it back into another ponytail and then dressed her feet in socks and boots, before tiptoeing out of the bedroom and down the stairs into the kitchen. She peaked into the lounge as her father was asleep in his arm chair with a newspaper spread out on his lap. He looked so uncomfortable sleeping in that position, as she shrugged while walking slowly into the room, grabbing an old afghan off the couch and then removing the paper from his lap while replacing it with the wool knitted blanket. She didn't hestitate to kiss his forehead and then wander out of the croft. Golly didn't stir. He just sat in his chair off in dreamland with the blanket now covering his body.

The early morning light was fastly approaching the Glenbogle estate as Jess hiked down one path and then to another foot trail. Eventually she came to a clearing, a big wide open space where the loch was, as she was greeted by the waves tatering the shore and a very fine tuned breeze which hit her cheeks on her face. Someone was watching her intently from afar, almost surprised that she would be up at the crack of dawn too. She then hiked over to a rock and purched herself down as she was enjoying the peace and quiet, well, for the next few seconds until she recognized she wasn't alone.


	4. Part 4

( **4 **)

As for the early morning which was fastly approaching them, Archie and Lexie were swaddled together in the big white comforter as their bodies spoke an unmeantioned language, one of love, sweetness and happiness. They had just wrapped up another round of 'making whoopie' as Archie's mind kept wandering back to Jamie, Jess, and the now screwed up financial mess that the estate was suddenly in. His mind was still going over the mathematical figures that were in the accounting book in the office while Lexie who was lying there thinking about what was on her dear husband's mind, figured out it must have been something weighing in heavy because he was staring out into space.

"Arch?" She spoke quietly. "I know ye don't admire that painting of ol' Cuthbert, but could ya stop staring at it? Ye're giving me the willies."

"Yea? True, he is quite awful to gander at, the old man." He whispered back to her as his eyes looked at the old relative, a painting of old Cuthbert which hung on the wall in front of him as he laid at the foot of the bed.

"Something's off in that mind of yours, penny to tell me?" She sat up, before crawling to the foot of the bed as she rubbed her nose to his, placed a firm kiss on his lips and stared at him longing for a reply. She broke his out of space gaze within seconds of her lips touching his again.

"Just finances, Lex. Nothing big." He tried to change the subject by smooching up to her again.

She put a stop to it by quipping, "Finances? I thought everything was worked out?"

"I spent all day in the office trying to come up with 5,000 missing pounds." He answered exasperatedly.

"Oh?" Lexie murmured as she hid her fear well, but not well enough because her husband eyed her like she was a thief.

"What _oh?_" He tipped his head down to her face and closely examined her expression.

"Nothing, I'm sure it'll turn up soon." She nodded while pressing her lips to his. His hands went to her shoulders as he pulled away from her, before adding, "You're not convincing me that you don't know where that money is."

Lexie paused, because she also managed the house and yesterday afternoon, Molly asked her about borrowing the money for her trip around the world. She told Lexie she would be repaying it this afternoon. Lexie, being the Laird's wife, didn't see it as an issue. Well, she didn't consult Archie or Jamie, just simply agreed with Molly, what's borrowed, shall be returned very promptly and since Molly was doing the estate favor by cashing those 'retirement' stocks and bonds in when tax time came around, and so she went ahead with the plan.

Lexie sighed, but it was an _'Oh lovely, I'm hiding hard earned cash on me husband and why?'_ sigh as Archie's brows rose in pure curiousity, so high that they would have cracked the ceiling of their bedroom in the process and ended up in the attic. He gave her a _'Why is my wife hiding earned cash on me? I hope you're going to explain yourself!'_ look.

"I don't believe you. I spent over 12 hours on those books and you know where that money went?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Um-no, okay-yes, Molly needed the cash up front. So..."

"My mother needed money and you didn't even inform me of it?" He kept his frustation in check, but still his anger was present in his stare.

"Settle down, don't blow a gasket, Molly is returning the money she borrowed yesterday."

"Lex, that money was to pay bills, invoices, you know rabbits to feed to the wolves, food for the family..." He rambled on and on. "Why didn't you consult me before loaning my mother 5000 pounds? Why does my mother need 5000 pounds? _Is she gambling again?_"

"No-no, nothing like that. Your mother is going on a trip." Lexie glanced at her husband as he rubbed his temples and forehead.

"Trip? _Why does my mother need a trip when she'd got everything she needs here?_" Archie frowned, peering at her intently.

" Yetch, ya sounded like _your father_ just then, and I never thought you'd take in his views this way in regards to your mother. _I'm wrong-aye?_ Dun worry, she's replacing the money this afternoon, Arch, and I felt her going on a trip was a marvelous idea." She soothed, but his temples were banging like a steel-rimmed drum: _BAM, BAM, BAM_... He didn't like the idea of his mother going anywhere, but if she had to, _he'd try to support it_, but he just thought she would have asked him for the money and not his wife. "Molly was afraid if she left for few months, you'd be crushed and it's true because of the look on your face."

" Where is she getting this money? Does my brother know about this scheme my mother has up her sleeve?" Archie tipped his head to the side, trying to ask his question in a more pleasant tone. "Then again, my brother did support us when we wanted to get married, _even though my father did not_. He's probably supporting my mother all along with this bird brained rattling, right?"

" Let's not go over the past today, Archie." As Lexie replied, as her mind added, ' _I'm sorry I brought Hector up-your father just didn't want me to be 'stuck' in the highlands as a higlander wife and you know this-I made this choice when I married you. I bet he's proud of you for standing your ground and forming a union with me (anyway).' _Before she added, "Look, I'm clueless, but knowing Jam, he probably does support your mother going away, _as he normally supports everyone in the family and their life altering decisions_, but he has no inklin' that your mother is leaving Glenbogle for awhile. Oh and it's stocks and bonds that Hector had saved for them that she'll be using to fund her trip, as she's doing us a favor cashing them in before tax demand time anyway. Arch, it was your father's dream to take her places and show her the world when they were older and well, 'retired' from the estate duties." Her cerulean eyes gazed into his dark chocolate ones and smiled, "_It's romantic, isn't it?_ That's why I supported her."

Archie calmed down, "Oh well, I s'pose, I could see mother doing this sort of old romantic thing, but as long as the 5,000 pounds are returned immediately, I see no harm done. I'll have to tell Jamie because he's once overing the books today in search of that negative money mistake."

"See, isn't it nice to support your mother? The woman has been through so much and with her shop opening so quickly over the past year and becoming so popular, she now _needs _the time away."

"_We need time away_." Archie replied as his head was faintly dumming and his stress ache slowly faded.

"Like Duncan?" Lexie laughed.

"Erhm, yea, like Dunc. I wonder how he's doing right now." Archie stated with a little bit of puzzlement and curiousity about the head ranger on his way to France

"I wonder how Marie-Helene is, poor wee thing to loose her husband that way." Lexie replied empathetically.

"Ah, yes. Poor thing." _Archie's mind wandered to when he was in France not so long ago with Justine and how horrible of a vacation it was. They had just gotten the restaurant up and running and she wanted them to take a trip somewhere, Paris, city of love, well, it was the city of heartbreak for Archie. Every time he turned around she was getting all upset with him when he didn't do anything to make her mad at him!___

_He was having a hard time with her mood swings, her anger at how much of a bust the trip was and how he wasn't showing her he was having a good time. They faught like cats and dogs, her claws were some awful when they came out, she was pressing him about marriage and children and he, and his bark which wasn't anything like his bite, were just stating the fact that he wasn't ready for marriage and children yet. He would be at some point but not with the restaurant in early stages. Finally on the last day they made up, but he wasn't able to completely forgive her for making their once in a lifetime get away, officially miserable._ Archie blurted out after this memory surfed through his mind, "One day, Lex, I'll take you on a dream get away too, like my father wanted for my mother."

"Arch, I don't need dream vacations, just you spending you undivided attention and time with me." She sweetly responded as her mouth pressed up to his once again.

____

_Jess? What is going on with ya? Ya thinkin' Da is happy you're here? You think he'd be proud if he found out that you had been bouncing around and kissing a man twice your age? No, he wouldn't be. I'm keeping it to myself. I came here looking for his approval of my life. I just neglected to tell him that I'm quitting school, ditching my dream of teaching and my 'old' lover because I'm down right confused about my childhood and past. _She heard a twig break as her head turned quickly into the direction of the 'snap' but no one was there that she knew of as she went back to escaping with her thoughts. _Da's still in love with Mum. I know this for a fact, why would he hide away out here in the highlands? Because he had other things to tend to, or do. How did they meet? What put them together like magnets and then repelled them apart? _Another twig broke as she turned her head in the other direction very quickly. She escaped into her thoughts again, but before doing so successfully, she was given a fright.

"Hello, Jessica." A voice called out from a tree and then a similar face joined it.

" Sheesh! You're a heart attack waiting to happen! You don't seem to care about scaring the young hearted, do ya?" She tipped her head towards the face and they both smiled.

"Erhm, maybe not. What are you doing down here at the loch at this hour? Shouldn't little fair maidens like you be sleeping in?"

"Shouldn't your mighty lairdship be sleeping in too?" She cocked a brow as he sat down beside her.

"Fair enough." Jamie chuckled, as his camera was hanging off his neck, Jess noted the machine while laughing out loud. "I see your amused, care to explain why?"

"Nothing, I just didn't think you were _serious_ when you told me you taught photography or went to university in Glasgow to _finish_ your studies."

"That was 18 months ago, fairhaired maiden _and you should be taking me seriously_." He winked as he hands grasped the camera closely, and then he picked up the camera to take a candid snap shot of her.

"Oh no, no pictures. I'm horrible at taking them and being in them. No photographs." She shook her head and put her hands up to cover her face.

"It doesn't look like you would be to me. Care to try? _You should_." He encouraged her as he took the camera on strap off of his neck and then with a gracious beam handed her the old machine.

"This is a old camera isn't it?" Her fingers explored the wood frame, the metal attachments of where the film went and then checked out the 35mm lens with a big attachment and also where the flash would be.

"Aye-t'was me Da's." He spoke quickly in a more scottish like tone, instead of refined English. It struck her as odd, but then she laughed again. "Wha?"

"You talking like a true scotsman, that's what."

"There's nothing wrong with using some of my wonderful hertiage in my tone and context of voice."

"No there isn't is there?" She then lifted the camera aim frame to her face, squinted with one eye closed and turned the camera to take...Jamie's picture. She giggled again as he hollered about, "Hey! No fair!"

"Eh, see I'm no good at taking them, I think ya blinked when I did. Lemme try again!" She bolted up and clicked the camera again, capturing his shocked face, as he was coming to retrieve it from her. He took the camera away and she pouted, "Oh drat."

"Now, I get to take a photo of you." He replied dilligently as his face was gleaming at the thought of having a photo of his new subject, _her_.

"Fine." She nodded her head 'yes' as they were both standing up now. She returned to her seat on the rock and then placed her head on her hands which was holding her up by her elbows that were resting on her lap.

"Nice." He laughed and then clicked her photo too. He sat down on the rock beside her once again.

"Gee, great." She laughed as he then nudged his shoulder into hers.

"Dun worry, I have a place to develop them. You'll get copies." He smiled, as his brows lifted and his eyes caught hers and then they were staring at each other a little too long. She turned her head an broke the gaze between them but instead of laughing, her mind went back to her broken relationship with Sean and how his face kept creeping up in her mind.

"Penny for your thoughts or a nickel for your troubles..." He chanted low, saying the poem, trying to break her free from the mood that now consumed her. "Care to tell me what's on your mind, or do I need a dime? Or for the shorter a quarter?"

"In that case, you'd need _real gold to know what I'm dealing with in me mind_." She chuckled again as she was covering up her hidden feelings.

"Jess, if you're in trouble, you can tell your Da, you know."

"_And not tell my baby-sitter_?" She eyed him again as he could tell he was going to get an earful about her father meeting them in the kitchen last night.

"He wasn't implying_ that _and you know it."

"Jamie, he thought you were babysitting me, _and I'm a big girl now_."

"I s'pose you are, but quitting school because you're burnt out..." Jamie started to lecture her and stopped himself.

"Go on." She waited for him to lecture her as she knew he wanted to do it.

"Sorry, not my place." He stopped himself again.

"Not your place? You just about told me how quitting school wasn't a good thing to do. You have no idea the pressure I was under to finish university aside from getting it from just me Da and Mum." '_I don't need it from you too...but I'm sure you're going to blab about it to me anyway!'_

"My dad and mother." He corrected her 'English' with a silly grin plastered on his face.

"Now look who's going aganist showing their heritage with their spoken words?" She teased triumphantly. "You're the only one allowed to do it and not me? How is that fair?"

"Jess, if you're in trouble with school, _tell me_." He rolled his eyes as the mind games were starting to get to him. _Their conversation wasn't about who could talk like a true scotsman, it was about her being up at the butt crack of dawn sitting on a rock beside him and wondering what made her really change her mind about school because he could tell she lied to him about being 'burnt' out. He pressed further to find out what was going on in her pretty mind. _

"Three years ago when you first met me, you didn't seem to know I was alive and now, you're acting like we're the best of friends suddenly? Why?"

"Jess, I have high respect for Golly since he was a great friend to my father, hence, I want to get to know you. What's wrong with that?" He remarked, as his gaze broke from the water and then set on her.

"Nothing. I'm sorry. I just don't get why you're being nice to me?"

"Maybe because I see you trying to make an adult decision and I don't want to think you're making the wrong one like I once did." He blurted out his explanation which made her grow silent.

She then opened her mouth, but nothing came out, he was trying to understand her? _No one ever tried to understand where she was coming from. _

"Say something?" He asked, as his shoulder nudged hers again while they sat together, looking out at the water. "You're acting like a cat has your tongue."

"I-I have a boyfriend, well..."

"Boyfriend?" Jamie asked quickly as if she had stepped on his pride and suddenly bruised it. _Boyfriend? Lovely, just what I needed to hear this morning. Jess, boyfriend, where the heck is he, if he's your boyfriend, wouldn't he be here for you than me?_

"Jamie, I had to leave school because of him."

"Oh Jess, _bad idea_." He then rolled up his tongue after he added bad idea to his statement. _Yikes. Not a great idea to tell the poor wee lass that, please don't take me seriously, Jess._

"Bad idea?" She was shocked, wasn't he commending her on making a decision, her decision and now he's going aganist her doing so? _Typical male, who couldn't make up his own mind without using someone else's thoughts to back it-my father probably put him up to asking about why exactly I left school-who knows. _

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it come out that way."

"Then say it James MacDonald, _before I never shall speak with you again_." She closed her mouth quickly as she wasn't going to let her tongue get the better of her. She would have never said such a thing to her father's boss. _'Oh fidgetty-fudgety.' as her muse was in tune with her inner voice._

"Jess,"

She was deep in thought and still didn't say anything to him, but mumble, "Ah."

"Jess, it's okay to be mad at me about telling you your decision isn't the best one. That's my opinion, but it's still your decision."

She didn't breathe a word, for fear of now making him upset, which wasn't likely when dealing with Jamie as he was reasonable, reserved and intelligent...well, when it came to conversing about real life events that dealt with common sense. Jess didn't know this since she really didn't know him, _just the idea of him._

_"Jess?" _He wasn't sure if she was giving him the silent treatment or just thinking about how to respond to him. But the reply he got from her had trouble written all over it.

"I'm going to go." She stood up and then cantered away fast while leaving him there by the rocks.

"Jess." He stood up, as he could have run after her, but he didn't. He then parked his rump down on the rock again. As his body went into the 'thinker' position. His hand was resting under his chin, as his elbow was holding his head up and digging into his right leg. He felt stupid for saying something, but he knew she was hiding her feelings about school from everyone and now he knew why. Jess ran back to her father's croft, ran upstairs and then started to pack furiously, as her Da stood at the door.

_"Jess?"___

"Da, you're up. I'm sorry I woke you." She spoke quietly without a whimper.

"Ya didn't wake me, but what are ya doing, Jess?"

"I'm packing. Da, I'm sorry. I came here because of me boyfriend, well, boyfriend I broke up from, it was a bad idea for me to leave school. Me boyfriend was one of my lecturers."

Golly stood there taking in the information as his brain was slowly processing it. "Okay, so you had a boyfriend. What's this got to do with packing?"

"Well, I left him. I shouldn't have left him or university, running away was the wrong thing to do, wasn't it, Da?." She stopped folding her night shirt.

"Lass, there's no reason to rush this decision about going back to school or to some boyfriend. Just stay here and relax." He nodded justifiably. "What had you spooked?"

"Jamie. I met him down at the loch and he just told me it was a bad idea for me to leave university."

Golly nodded his head as if he understood where Jamie was coming from, as he agreed with him, but for her to go back because of a boyfriend and not for school itself was also a genuinely awful decision. _Two wrongs don't make it right_. "Jess, leave it to me. Don't do anything else hasty-aye?"

She stopped packing and nodded, "Aye, Da." Before Golly could leave the small bedroom, she ran up and hugged him tightly.

"It's okay." He smiled and hugged her back as he placed a kiss on her forehead. His mind shifted to Jamie MacDonald and his hold on his daughter aside from his interest in her affairs. He'd go easy on him, as they'd just have a man to man chat about giving his daughter advice.

__

Since Duncan was away, Jamie was filling in on some of the head ranger tasks. Archie agreed with him, as he should be doing more for the estate during the day. He decided he'd help Golly with the fence down at the bird sanctuary. Golly didn't object, considering he had to bring up his daughter to him and probably chatting about while working would seem just as lowkey as it could get. Jamie was pounding in a post as Golly was wiring on mesh fence and banging in hooks to keep the fence up.

"Lad?" Golly was low, as he then asked, "I hear you met with Jess this mornin'?"

Jamie who was mid swing with a mallet stopped pounding in the post to look at Golly, "Yea, I saw her down at the shore."

Golly eyed him curiously, then pondered how to phrase his question carefully, "Jamie, we are men who chat, right?"

"Gol, you're known me since I was in nappies, of course, we chat. Is something wrong with Jessica?" Jamie went back to pounding a post in and Golly moved down to fix the fence and pondering, '_Jessica? He's now calling my daughter formally?'_

"What by chance did you tell her about school?" Golly asked straightforwardly since the first laird had given him the go ahead and ask him anything speech. Jamie stopped working as he glanced at the man who was practically a father to him.

"What do you mean?" He replied, as he could feel a fatherly lecture coming on. He sensed it. He was afraid of this since he had talked to her this morning about how bad of an idea it was for her to quit university.

"Jamie, wordly advice as I am her father, and I don't mean to disrepect you as my boss, but Jess was ready to up and pack for university after she had words with you. I'd just like to know what you told her because going back to university for a boyfriend is one thing, but it's different than going just to go back to school and get an education."

Golly's words make him ponder more about what he had told her, "Gol, no harm done. I just told her leaving school was a bad decision." Jamie pounded in the last post, and Golly finished with the wire mesh. The two men glanced at each other and then Golly grinned, "I agree with you there. I appreciate you clearing this up with me about my daughter."

Jamie grinned back with a nod of his head. _So she was up and packin' to go back? Poor lass, but I didn't send her packing, or meant to, because I want to get to know her, Golly. I want to get to know your daughter._


	5. Part 5

( **5** )

Jess sat on the small couch waiting for her father to come home. She assumed he was out to shoot rabbits or fish, but a knock came to the croft door and a voice called out, it was Lexie, who stood in the door way, waiting for her to walk up to the door. And when she opened it, she waved Lexie in.

"Hi."

"Hello, come in. Da's not here but..."

"I didn't come to see Golly, actually, Jess, I came to see you." She glanced at her quickly and then smiled.

"I'm, not sure of what to say, really. Why?"

"Well, the house needs some work and so I thought you might want a job while you're here?" Lexie tried to offer Jess something to do other than watching fishing on telly or going out gaming for rabbits with Golly, if he allowed her too.

"That's very kind of you, Mrs.---"

"Lexie, Jess, just Lexie."

"To offer me work, but I'm not sure I'd be of much use in a kitchen." She replied truthfully since she knew Lexie worked in the kitchen every day. .

"Actually, I was offering you a cleaning position, just odd jobs, washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, maybe if I gave Molly a call she could see if she had a postion for you at the shop, like a running the cash job?" Lexie offered again.

"That's nice. I'd appreciate that. What does me Da think?"

"I haven't spoken with him yet. I figured you'd be the first to talk to and then we'd tell him together. Archie and Jamie were talking and so..."

"They thought it would be nice to offer me some work while I'm here?" She caught on quickly, _Jamie. Everything was Jamie's doing and this was part of his idea of how to get to know her better? Tell her leaving school was a bad choice and go packing back there, but offering her a job so she'd stay? He was in for it. _

" Aye-yes, well think about it? Come up to the house when ye've made up yer mind? We'll sort it out. Jess, I'm happy ye're here. I'm sure Golly's thrilled too." Lexie then saw herself out.

Jess grabbed her coat and put on her boots as she was going to investigate Mr. James MacDonald's intentions. She briskly skipped down the path, before breaking out into a sprint for the house. She decided, while looking at the old stone building and the open back door, _that must be the office _asshe had watched Jamie and Duncan leave it last night. She went up to the window and peeked inside, sure enough, Jamie was in there sitting at a desk, going over mathematics in the books. She waltzed inside and shut the door.

"Jess?" He was startled at first but happy to see her. He had been thinking about her since morning when he and Golly had their 'man to man' chat.

"Hello, I didn't mean to interrupt, but we need to chat, you and I." She glanced at him closely, as he was sitting in the desk chair, dropped his pen on the books, and then stood up and moved over to her, face to face.

"Okay, all ears, but you have to listen to me a some point too." He deliberately replied, knowing full well, he'd have to corner her to get her to listen..._well maybe_.

"You told me leaving university was a bad choice, but it was my choice, so I went back to the..."

"Croft and packed, I know this."

"How?" She tipped her head at him.

"Yer father and I had a natter too. He agreed with me, going back to school for a boy wasn't a good excuse to go back, you should be going, if you decided to do so, to university solely for your education and career goals."

"_Sean wasn't a boy_. I told you he was _your_ age."

"Fine, _whoever he was_, you shouldn't go back to school until you're sure it's the right thing for you to do." Jamie added, feeling better about getting it off his chest. '_Sean? The guy's name was Sean?'_

"Och," She stopped short as he was making her head spin: one minute about going back and agreeing with her and the next: not going back and agreeing with her. '_You're an awful devil's advocate, Jamie MacDonald, or maybe ye're just too damn clever as one!'_

"What did you have to chat with me about?" He smiled at her now being tongue tied.

"You having Lexie offer me a job." Jess eyed him wisely.

"Okay, I might have a little bit of something to do with it, but, I figured you'd need the money-no, while you stay here temporarily?" He was slow, like he had baited her, hook, line and sinker, while now reeling her in.

"Who is filling in for Duncan while he was away?" She asked calmly.

"I am. Why?" He then laughed, "_You want to fill in for him_?"

"Och no, I didn't say that."

"But you were implying it."

"No I wasn't. I was offered the cleaning job at the house or a job at Molly's shop." She answered, but the Head Ranger spot would mean working with Da and she wanted to see what his day was like while upkeeping the land. Jamie caught the look of longing in her china sea eyes.

"I tell you what, we'll switch positions each day as in take turns, and I'll talk it over with my brother."

"_You can clean a house_?_ Cook a hearty meal?_" She piped.

"_You can shoot a gun_? _Run a chainsaw?_" He quipped.

They verbally challenged each other as neither were going to back down. With a compromising glance or locking of eyes, they agreed to it. Jamie was pretty sure his brother would be fine with it, considering Archie wanted him to be more active with the estate upkeep.Why not add Jess to the upkeep team? He wanted to offer a job in the house anyway...

____

Duncan spent a long time on the train sleeping, reading comics, looking out the window at the scenery, and trying to zone out the 16 hour long ride to the 'end' as he had gone from one corner of the UK to the other. By the time the train reached the chunnel, it was incredible being under the sea going from England to France just within an hour. It even had him breaking out in tune, humming, _'Under The Sea, Under The Sea, life is much better, when you're together, take it from meeeee, Under The Sea...' _His mind mumbled on and on about Ariel the Mermaid and the Crab...he couldn't remember his name...so he asked the man sitting next to him if he had heard of "The Little Mermaid."

"Excuse me, have you heard of the Walt Disney film, 'The Little Mermaid'?"

The man sat there in a spare booth of the dinner cart and glanced up at the lad with a strange look on his face, "Non." He replied, "_Non, Je ne parle pas l'anglais_." He got up with his newspaper and walked away. Leaving Duncan sitting there with an odd look on his face.

"Um, okay, nice chattin' with you." He knew once he saw Marie-Helene that she'd be interested in what he had to say. She was always interested in what he had to write to her as she told him so in each and every one of her letters...she'd laugh at his singing, for sure, like she enjoyed the time when he took her on a picnic and kite flying years ago. But for now he was on a train heading to another planet or France in this case. "Sebastian!" He yelled out across the quiet dinner car remembering the crab's name as the guests sitting in the cabin at tables glared at him like he was a wacko. "Sorry." He dropped his head and smiled, but the guests didn't smile back or acknowledge him. He still had another hour or so to go before he'd reach Paris and see..._Marie-Helene_.

He was now studying the french country side out of the window as it was very different compared to the scottish highands...actually he was missing the moutains already. The landscape was pretty, but pretty flat in France...so far of what he saw of it. He sat there, wondering how she was, would she be okay being by herself in her flat? He was taking up residence on her couch for the time while he was there. He tried to refuse, but she told him he should stay with her and he agreed, well, caved in to her. He was now wearing his head phones and studying a book about french conversation...

"_Bonjour, Monsieur, Je m'appelle Duncan_. Come-a-tally-voooooous?" He shook his head at the last sentence which he knew he said wrong and over pronounced, or butched the 'vous' with a double 'oo'! So on his discman, he backed up the track to the conversation of, "Hello sir, My name is.....How are you?" and he spoke out, "_Bonjour, Monsieur. Je m'appelle Duncan. Comment-vas tu?_" He went over the language over and over again. His mouth kept forming the 'oo' or 'rolling r' or a 't', when there normally wasn't a 't' spoken in French.

Hours later, he arrived at the train station in Paris and went through customs. As he held out his passport and then hiked his back pack over his shoulder. He then found a gentleman near by, as he was holding his French book out trying to ask him where the main enteranceway was...the man peered down at him through his wire rimmed glasses.

_" Bonjour, eh, excusez-moi monsieur, voulez-vous me dire où est la gare ? (_Hi. um. Monsieur. How do you get to the entrance of the train station?)_"_

The man eyed him over, as the kilt gave away that Duncan wasn't from France. He didn't glare at him though, just decided with a sigh, to help him out. "Hello, it's down the stairs to the right and then a left."

"Sorry, a little new to the French." He shrugged his shoulders trying to continue smiling, but the man waved him on as he had other people standing in line at the information desk of the train station. Duncan nodded his head and complied as he raced off to the right down a walk way and then to the left before stopping in his tracks. He spotted her out of the corner of his eye...

"Duncan! Duncan!" Marie-Helene waved her hands, while smiling and then embracing him with a big hug. Duncan noticed something funny about her hug, Marie-Helene had a rounded belly, _as she was pregnant_? "_Tu est fatigué ? (_You look a little fatigued?) You look tired, Duncan."

"I'm okay, the important part is, are you? Wha's this...?" He tipped his head to look at her more closely. She didn't seem weary, just a little forlorn. She was mostly happy though to see him.

"Eh, _oui, comme ci comme ca_, so-so. Oh and this, well, it happened months ago, and I just didn't know what to do about it or how to speak of it to you. Sorry." She added with a slight sigh and rubbed her stomach.

"No problem, I think the belly suits you just fine." He smiled as she gave a giggle and answered, "_On va retourner à moi ? Allons on-y va ! (__Let's get you back to my place. Come along!_"

Her hand went around his as she pulled him towards her car. At first he was a little squeemish about cramming into the small auto, aside from having her drive, but she tried to make him relax, as she put the pedal to the metal and the little car too off in a cloud of dust. She was quite a zippy driver as she concentrated on the road and pointed out the sights of Paris. Mostly she just showed him her neighborhood, where she worked, where the hospital was when she'd have her baby, but Duncan was confused, _she was having a baby alone? _Well, then again, she would have had it with Alan. Tears formed in her eyes, as Duncan could now tell she was trying to be happy, but also emotionally distant and sad about the loss of her husband.

"I'm sorry about Alan, Marie." He replied quietly.

"Me too, Dunc, me too." She frowned, and then concluded, "Not a day goes by that I don't think of that morning last week, the funeral, the memorial service tomorrow...oh gd, you know?"

"It's okay, Marie, let's chat about it more when we get to your flat." He soothed, thinking making her upset wouldn't help matters as they were zipping and zapping along in front of a bunch of cars on a narrow, crowded, but residental street.

_Marie-Helene had gotten up early that morning as she felt ill to her stomach. It was her first true pregnancy and Alan kept telling her she'd be sick sooner or later...she sure was...as she tossed up cookies in the bathroom at 6am and he stood there in the doorway watching her. She was about five months along and this being 'sick' was very out of the blue, nothing bad, nothing unnatural, just out of the blue. ___

_"Marie-Helene, tu est très gentil. Mais pour ce moment je dois travailler. Retournez a ton lit et jusqu'a l'après midi je suis la pour vous, tu a compris ?_ (_Marie-Helene, dear sweet woman, just go back to bed. I have to work and about noon, I'll be home to tend to you, okay?)_"_He scooped her up off of the floor and toddled her back to their bedroom and plopped her down in bed. He kissed her, swaddled her body in the bedspread and blankets, before telling her, "Je t'aime ma cherie, et je t'aime mon petit bébé _ that last one he's saying to the baby (_I love you, my dear and our baby too__.)"___

_"Alors, c'est bien, vas-y ! Mais j'adore de te voir a midi_...(_Okay, go. But I'll be happy to see you at noon__...)"___

_That was the last conversation she had with him, before her whole world crumbled, as she was unsure of what to do, what to say to people about her husband suddenly passing on...she wrote to Duncan and told him she was alone and dealing with this loss. She didn't exactly expect him to reply back to her by ringing her the day he got the letter. He told her he'd come to visit her for the memorial service...___

__

Office was crowded that afternoon with Archie, Jamie and Molly chattering about her world class trip and how she wanted to leave her family behind for a short while. Archie bent towards her going as Jamie, to his brother's surprise wasn't gunho about it at all. Jamie stood there getting upset, since he wasn't consulted at all about the trip or the money after being told he wasn't doing much for the estate by just hanging around. Archie just figured he was over reacting and it wasn't about their mother going away. Jamie was the oldest brother and solely 'Head in Command' or 'first' laird and Archie, 'Assistant in Command' or second laird...always consulted with him about everything going on with the estate, even if they shared 'estate' power, Jamie was still the first in command since he was four years older than he. But he also felt guilty because he didn't exactly talk to Archie about Jess and him switching jobs every other day...but he would after they dealt with their mother's idea of a 'trip.'

"Jam, she should go." Archie stated firmly trying to back up Molly.

"Look, I don't appreciate not being told up front about this trip or the money involved. Who's going to look after your shop mother? Did you think about how you were going to pay them for doing so?" Jamie remarked as his brother glanced at him. Archie had never seen Jamie over react as he was always so level-headed, where estate affairs were a concern. _Something was plaguing him... his guilt for not telling them about his career plan...the change within weeks to come._

"He's right mother, it would be more to pay for someone to watch and manage your shop for a year. I don't think it would be such a wise choice to take off for that long."

Molly, the fairhaired and fairheaded, sat there quietly as she observed her two sons bicker about her own decision to leave Glenbogle for awhile. It was her decision and her money wrapped up in those already cashed stocks and bonds. She finally after the last statement came from Archie, she replied, "I suggested to Killwillie to possibly hire someone. He said he'd pay for them to be there and he'd check in on the shop."

"Mother! You went behind our backs and talked to Killwillie about it first?" Jamie shouted, as his anger surfaced since he hated Killwillie and his 'get rich, quick' schemes, which always did just that, got him filthy wealthy. He worried about the estate and it's businesses falling into the wrong hands, especially Killwillie's, if he were to leave Glenbogle to just Archie again...well, the_ if _was a certain, _he just hadn't told them_ as more guilt haunted his mind...he knew Archie would run the place well though, just like when he left to finish his studies for a year. He had to keep in mind,_ Archie had left his career_, or life in London and came home to help him turn the place around after their parents had gotten themselves into so much debt and needed the bank to appoint a manager to fix things. "Mother, having him profit from your shop is a huge mistake!"

"Oh, Jamie."

"He's right again mother. We don't owe Killwillie any favors and you know him." Archie agreed, as he was always happy to back up his older brother when they both agreed on something-_that Killwillie was a sly business man, but far from trustworthy_.

"Oh, Archie."

Molly glanced from son to son and felt proud, since her grown children were trying to look out for her best interests at heart regardless if she was their elder or not. She spoke evenly, elegantly, and very aristocratic, "Boys, it's all right. Maybe you should take turns looking over the shop then? I just didn't want to trouble you with the hassle of it since there's so much to do with the Wildlife Park and running the estate..."

Archie and Jamie glanced at each other and shook their heads, as Jamie finally admitted, "We'll find someone mother to tend to the shop, but no more going behind our backs where Killwillie is a concern."

"This means you can handle my going, James?" Molly added as she was formally addressing him as if he were being 'scolded' for getting angry infront of his dear mother.

"Yes, but you must promise to be back within the year. I'll miss you." Jamie pouted, but Molly as motherly as she could possibly be, rose from her chair and pecked his cheek, while her fingers pinched his face as well.

"The deal is done. Don't worry, I'll handle Killwillie before I go."

"When will you be leaving mother?" Archie asked slowly as they, both MacDonald brothers had now taken on a new duty, her shop, on top of the laird's work.

"Oh about two weeks, you know, you could call Lizzie or write her...I bet she'd help run the shop. Anyways, boys, I'm off." She winked, kissing Archie's cheek as well, before she waltzed out of the office like a "free" woman, or a woman free from the life of Glenbogle (for a 'year' in about two weeks). Her suggestion of asking their only 'tomboyish' sister Lizzie to 'take' over the shop for a year was a doozy of a gesture. _Lizzie wasn't the most stable of all people and she had her own daughter to tend too. Besides she was in India? No, Africa? She was somewhere far from home...Jamie had no clue where she was...they didn't exactly get along the last time she was in Glenbogle...mostly because Gerald, her boyfriend at the time practically drown their father in the loch after getting him pss drunk. Jamie was upset, very upset-another unusual thing for him, to the point where he told her he didn't want to see her again until she got her life together. And then Stefan...Jamie was more annoyed with her becoming pregnant with a married man's child! Archie was the buffer for the relationship, as he keep things in check or played peace keeper between the fighting siblings. _

"What do you suggest? Also what has gotten into you?" Archie's brows rose at his brother's sudden 'attitude.'

"Nothing. I'm fine. Lizzie, I don't know how we'd find our sister. She floats around so darn much like a hot air balloon! She's got Martha! Who would look after Martha all day long?" Jamie's brows furrowed as his forehead wrinkled at the idea of their sister running Molly's Antique and Paintings shop in the village. Lizzie was between Jamie and Archie in the order of siblings, she was 35 going on 18, as she never settled herself down even with a baby and her broken relationships, as she was the perfect example of a 'lost' middle child, as Jamie was the oldest and going to run the estate, Archie was the youngest and the 'cutie-patootie' as everyone thought of him this way, even now, but Lizzie was lost in the mix. "I haven't even heard from her."

"But I have and Lizzie would do it, Jam, she would."

"When were you going to inform me of hearing from our sister?" Jamie glared at Archie.

"Calm down. You're never this cross. I asked you what has gotten into you?"_ Jamie was quiet. Archie noticed his brother never grew quiet, or let anything stress him. Archie was the one who was always knackered out. Jamie was too calm and relaxed to be._

"I suggested to Jess that we swap jobs between housework and head ranger duties. I'm sorry, I meant to ask you first before I did it." He blurted out part of his problem with his temper. _He was mad at himself for keeping things from his brother._

"It's okay, Jam, you're the actual Laird, remember? I'm the 'assistant'." Archie joked, even though he acted more like the laird but only because Jamie allowed him to be since he was so lax compared to Archie.

"I know, but I wanted to talk it over first."

"Fine, it's done with. Just keep in tune that Jess is your responsibility and if she can't do the head ranger duties then you should switch back or make a new compromise. I'm not upset, Jam. I'm actually in the strangest, flattered that you wanted to talk about something estate wise with me since you hardly ever do."

A knock came to the office door after Molly scooted away, this time Jess appeared, she heard Jamie, and or his temper flaring and wanted to check things out. She was wondering of Archie had a reaction to her being interested in 'job switching every other day' with Jamie during the time Duncan was away. Apparently, it wasn't the case when she took note of Archie, she wasn't sure if she should turn around and walk out. Jamie acknowledged her... "Hello there."

"Um, hi. Just thought I'd go up to the house to find Lexie. I think she wanted me to help her out with dinner or something house oriented." Jess cringed as she wasn't thrilled about doing housework. She liked the wild, liked nature and longed to be outdoors...not indoors.

"Very thoughtful of you, Jess. Everything is in order here and Lexie is waiting for you. I believe she had some cleaning of the dinning room to do." Archie stated flatly. "I'm glad you decided to take on that job...you wouldn't happen to have any _management skills _would you?"

Jess couldn't tell if he was joking or serious about that question, so she inquired, "Why?"

Jamie had a huge smile pop up on his face as he was seeing where his brother was taking the conversation. "_I bet she does_. I'll walk you up to the house." As Jamie nudged her out of the office, Archie sat there puzzled for a moment but then collected his mother's deposit and decided he was going to head to the bank before it closed.

"Wha are ya--wha did ye---?" She couldn't even get the words out right, as she was so baffled at Jamie's comment that she blurted out, "I don't have any _management skills_!"

"Here me out, lovely. There's an opportunity of a lifetime at my mother's shop in the village. It's not for a couple weeks to start, but it's a good place to work, and you'd like it there."

"Jamie, I know nothing about running a shop! I just wanted to take on those other duties." She commented, getting edgy with him. Her own temper would flare if he kept it up.

"In two weeks time, Duncan will be back here and you'll be without work on the land upkeep, come on, the house upkeep, doesn't need two people, Lexie does well on her own and she's already got a new housekeeper hired to take on those duties in two weeks. _You're an extra pair of hands, Jess_. The shop would be delightful for you and somewhat permanent for a year."

"_Then you take the job_." She replied, but it came out like she was being ungrateful and she shut her mouth again. He was good at making her bite with her tongue after she opened her mouth and inserted her foot.

"Jess, _don't be hurt_. I don't want the job at the shop." He explained quietly. "I kinda of fibbed to my brother, that I wouldn't be leaving soon as giving him all of the Laird duties."

"How do you mean?"

"I applied for the teaching position." He looked at her placidly _as guilt still consumed his insides_.

"What?" Her face dropped, as she wasn't sure of how to respond. "And?"

"Don't say anything, okay? Keep it between us. I just don't want him to be in shock when I tell him I've applied for work in Inverness Primary School and I got it, so I don't start until after school holidays in about six weeks."

Jess laughed.

"What?"

"You're _serious?_"

"Yes-I am. I'm going onto paste, crayons, reading books, correcting papers which are just fillers for my student's school day-you know busy body work for the kids, and little tykes who are of the age of seven." Jamie laughed.

"This is why you didn't want _me_ to give up on my dream? Because you're almost accomplishing _yours?_"

"Jess, I told you. I just don't want to see you make a bad decision." He replied sweetly.

"Congratulations to you." Jess nodded, but her voice was distant, suddenly she was sucked into a world that didn't exist, like the one this morning when they were sitting on rocks looking at the loch. _Part of her wanted him to get to know her better, than just a few weeks time only._


End file.
